Local Food Updates

Island Food Circle Guide

Nettle chocolate chip cookies

Bainbridge Island and the Kitsap Peninsula have a wealth of small farms producing vegetables, fruits, meats and dairy products. The Puget Sound area also has miles of shorelines and access to fresh and saltwater fisheries. And there are a growing number of local food artisans creating fine cheeses, breads, wines and much more. Finally, we have an ever-growing list of restaurants and food retailers who include local food in their offerings. Look for the Island Food Circle decal on their door.

The distribution system hasn’t quite caught up with all of this local abundance, so buying it isn’t as easy

Preheat the oven to 400F. Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until combined well. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt, then add to butter mixture, and mix

Sound Food's weekly gardening tips: 5/8

This was a very busy weekend. Due to upcoming travel plans, I moved forward with planting most of my tomato and summer squash plants. These include 14 varieties of tomatoes (cherry to large slicing, new and heirloom, early/late, tall/bush, and yellow/red/purple), and four summer squash (crook neck, patty pan, black and light green zucchinis). I hope to put in my winter squash when I get back in mid-May (the seedlings will
remain in my green house for now). Also planted my early, extra sweet
corn…that I had started in my green house 1 weeks early. Could have left them in the greenhouse another week…but couldn’t wait any longer.

As far as tomatoes…this is starting to look like another cold spring and maybe summer. For those hoping for tomatoes, I would recommend planting the Stupice tomato…from Eastern Europe. Early to ripen, producing small/medium-sized red fruit throughout the summer into early fall. Great
taste and very productive. For the less early varieties, you might want
to consider wrapping them in plastic (mini-greenhouses)…both in the spring and late summer/early fall. I tried this last year for my large heirloom and plum varieties and got tomatoes clear into October…when everyone else had given up.

As for my past plantings, everything is growing like crazy…including the beets, Stockton red onions, garlic, snap peas, and potatoes. Most of my fruit trees are wrapping up their blooming period. Need to get my coddling moth traps out soon (for apples and pears) as well as continue sulfur spray applications on the peach trees and those apples/pears trees susceptible to mold/blights. I have one red fleshed apple variety (pink pearl) that is highly afflicted by scab. Hoping this year that more consistent spraying with result in some clean fruit.